Denmark 0-1 Finland
Finland won their opening match of Euro 2020 over Nordic neighbours Denmark in an incredibly emotional affair in Copenhagen.
The result of this match was always going to be overshadowed by the scary scenes of Denmark star Christian Eriksen suddenly collapsing and requiring life-saving medical treatment on the pitch.
The two teams eventually resumed the match after a lengthy suspension, and the Finns felt the incredible high of getting their first-ever win in a major international tournament.
On the other side, the Danes will be disappointed they did not get at least a draw after dominating most of the match and also missing a second-half penalty. But they – as well as many SBOTOP football fans – will nevertheless be delighted that their star Eriksen is alive and in stable condition after his scary collapse.
Highlights of the game
Denmark, playing in their home stadium, made a strong start to the match. Jonas Wind had the first big chance seven minutes in with a thumping shot from the edge of the box, but Finnish keeper Lukas Hradecky made an excellent save to punch the ball shot away.
Hradecky was once again called into action on 15 minutes to tip a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg header over the bar. And just a few minutes later, Eriksen – of Serie A champions Inter Milan – had a long-range shot which Hradecky had to parry away.
The Danes continued to mount the pressure for much of the first half. Martin Braithwaite had a couple of chances, neither of which he got on target.
But then, disaster struck three minutes from half-time as Eriksen suddenly collapsed while attempting to receive a throw-in. After some initial confusion, the players and referee immediately called the medical staff over to tend to Eriksen’s medical emergency.
The Danish players, who had formed a ring around Eriksen, were visibly shaken as the medical staff spent several minutes performing life-saving treatment on their ailing team-mate. Thankfully, they successfully resuscitated the Danish star.
After a lengthy suspension, the match eventually restarted with Denmark resuming their dominance despite losing Eriksen. Mathias Jensen, who replaced the Inter midfielder in the line-up, blazed a long-distance effort over the bar, and Thomas Delaney did the same minutes later.
However, the hosts somehow found themselves a goal down on the hour mark. Joel Pohjanpalo got free from his marker and headed in a cross to give the Finns the lead with their very first shot of the match. Kasper Schmeichel had a chance to save it, but he could not react quickly enough to keep the header out.
But the Danes were handed a massive lifeline on 73 minutes as they were awarded a penalty. Yussuf Poulsen went down in the box from Paulus Arajuuri’s challenge, and referee Anthony Taylor had no hesitation to point to the spot.
With Eriksen out, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg took on the responsibility of taking the penalty. However, the Tottenham midfielder could not provide the equaliser as Hradecky came up with a heroic save.
That save would prove crucial as Finland would hold on to their narrow advantage and claim the win in their international tournament debut.
Key statistics
Denmark absolutely dominated the match according to the stats. They controlled 63 per cent of possession and had a whopping 22 shots. However, only six of those shots were on target. Jonas Wind, who was playing in his home stadium, led the Danes with four shots but only had one shot on target. Meanwhile, both of Hojbjerg’s shots were on target, but one of them was his saved penalty.
On the other hand, Finland scored with their one and only shot in the entire match. Hradecky was their man of the match as he made six saves, none bigger than the one he made against Hojbjerg.
What’s next?
First and foremost, the Euro 2020 updates on Christian Eriksen is promising. He was in stable condition shortly after exiting the match and has since been recovering in the hospital.
More details have since emerged on what transpired in those terrifying moments. Denmark captain Simon Kjaer, who was one of the first players on the scene after Eriksen’s collapse, immediately attempted to clear Eriksen’s airways and performed CPR until the medics arrived. The AC Milan defender also consoled Eriksen’s wife as the midfielder was receiving treatment.
Unfortunately, though, this health scare all but ends Eriksen’s tournament, which is a disappointment for both him and his team. He is the key playmaker for Denmark, who were the heavy favourites to emerge from Group B alongside Belgium. But without their top playmaker, their Euro 2020 betting odds to do so are much less favourable. Denmark’s next match will be against Belgium on June 18.
As for Finland, they suddenly have a great opportunity to advance from the group stage after this win. They next face Russia on June 16, with a draw in that match likely enough to secure their place in the next round.
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